Improvement in hoese hay-pokes



@uitrit tetes gtrtrnt @Hire Letters Patent No. 82,867, dated October 6, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE VHAY-FORKS.

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Be it known that I, OscAR PAnDooK, of Watertown, inv the'county of Jelerson, and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay-Forks; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1- is a side view of a fork constructed in accordance with my invention, thecentre-bar, to which the claws or barbsoi' the fork are hung,'being represented in the elevated position it occupies when the claws are retracted within the sheath.

Figure 2 is a vertical central section of thesame, with the centre-bar depressed, the claws being in this case consequently projected'from the sheath.

Figure 3 is au elevation of the fork taken at right angles to the view represented in tig. 1,' the handle being brokeulaway, solas to exhibit the arrangement of the locking and tripping-lever. i e

My invention relates to vthat class of horse hay-forks in which one or more claws or barbs are projected from or'retracted within the sheath of the fork by means of a. centre-bar, arranged to move up and down in said'sheath, and combined with a suitable-locking andAunlocking-mechanism, for maintaining the said claws in either of the positions named; and' it has reference, mainly, to the said locking and unlocking-mechanism, my object being to simplify the construction and arrangement of such mechanism, and to render it better adapted for every-day and long-continued use. v

' My invention consists in the combination, with a centrebar playing up and down within-the sheath oi"` the forli, as specified, of a pivoted-locking-lever, in such manner that when the bar is depressed, and the claws consequently projected from the sheath, the lever may he moved, so that a stop or -l'ug whichit carries shall catch upon the top or upper end ofy the bar, and 'thus hold it in position, and prevent the retraction of the claws. When it is desired to unlock the bar, so as to allow it to rise, the lever, by means of the tripping-cord usually employed, is vibrated or moved on its pivot, so as to draw off or disengagc the lug from the end of the bar.

My invention further consists in. providing the said locking-lever with a tripping-finger, which, when Athe lever is drawn down so as to disengage the locking-device from the centre-bar, will catch under a projection on the end of a har, and force the latter u'pwards,so as to eiect with certainty theretraction. of the claws.

To enable those skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I ,will new proceed to desoribe'the' manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, by reference to the laccompanying drawings.

The fork there represented in illustration of my invention is similar in most respects to that for which Letters Patent of the United States have been granted me, under date of March 24, 1868. It is suspended by thehandle, A, of the sheath B, within which sheath is contained the centre-bar C, to whose lower end the claws or barbs of the fork are pivoted. These claws, as set forth in the said Letters Patent, are provided with inclined shoulders, which, when the claws are projected from the sheath, bear against correspondingly-shaped bearings or shoulders in the sheath, so as to transform what would otherwise bedirect upward strain upon the centro-bar into a lateral pressure against the sheath. I have not deemed it necessary, however, to represent this arrangement of the claws and sheath in the drawings, as it is fully describedand claimed in the'Letters Patent referred to. v e

There is further combined with the centreb'ar a spring, D, arranged in this instance within the sheath, for the purpose of raising andholding the said bar when released from the locking-mechanism, the useof which spring is also described and claimed in the Letters Patent above named.

The upper end of the centre-bar has formed upon it a shoulder or projection, a, and on the side opposite the projection it is rounded or bevelled at as shown clearly in fig. 2. It may also be provided with a handle,

c, for the purpose of enabling the operator to depress the bar with greater facility.

The bar, when forced down in the position seen in fig. 2, so as to project the claws from the sheath, (the mpressedQiis held by means of a locking-lever, E, placed alongside of spiral spring D being consequently co s ht, ol, attached to the handle A. This lever has formed upon it a lug or the centre-bar, and pivoted to .an uprig stop, h, which, when the centre-bar G is depressed, and the lever E raised, passes over and catches upon the top of the centre-bar,I as represented in figs. 2 and 3. The lug has a rounded face, so that it may the more easily pass over the rounded corner, b, of the upper end ofthe bar. The opposite end of the lever may have formed upon it a finger, k, which stands at an angle to the longer arm of the lever, andis so arranged, that,

when the lever is drawn down to disengage the lug'h from the centrehar, it will catch under the projection on the bar, and thus force it upward. I prefer t make the lever asfshown in iig. 2, the lug and projectingv nger being cast upon the face of the lever, contiguous to the bar, a. recess or space,`through which the centrevbar passes, being left between the said lug and finger, suiicient to allow the necessary vibration of the lever.

In a fork in which the claws are combined with the sheath, as hereinbefore described, the use of the finger k is quite essential, as the claws, when projected and sustaining the load, are, in a degree, liable to bind orjam against their bearings in the sheath, so that the spring D alone cannot at all times raise the centre-bar. But, under the arrangement I have described, when the longer arm of the lever E, by means oi' the tripping-cord m,

'is pulled down, so.as to disengage the lug h from the top of the centre-bar, theV finger k is at the same time tilted or thrown up, so as to catch under the projection or shoulder a, and thus elevate, or at least start the upward movement of the bar, which movement is completed bythegexpansion of the spring DQ While, therel fore, the lever, audits lug or stop h, may alone be used in connection with the centre-bar, it will be found much preferable, in practice, for the reasons above stated, to combine, with the said parts, the lifting or tripping 4 :fin ger t.

In order to adapt a hay-fork, of the general construction hereinbefore referred to, to lift either straw or hay, I combine with the fork ono or more tnes, F, held to a frame or bar, G, which can be either adjusted to` or removed from the fork. In the centre of the bar Gr is a socket or sleeve, n, which ts upon the upper end of the fork, and from the bar, on each side of the fork, hang the tines F, which are parallel, or nearly so,` to the sheath, and at a suitable distance from it. The socket n is held to the fork by means of a set-screw, p, or other suitable device, which can be removed when it is desired to detach the bar G. These tines, as is well known to those interested in agricultural pursuits, are valuable adjuncts in holding together a load of straw, much oi`which would be apt to drop from the fork if the tines or other similar devices were not employed. In elevating hay, however, the tines are comparatively of little use, and in such case they can be detached, and removed from the fork, as above indicated.

Having now described my invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into e'ect, what I cla-im, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the centre or claw-operating bar in a fork, such as described, of a vibratory lockinglever or arm, arranged to catch over and press upon the head or upper end of the centre-bar, when the latter is depressed, and connected with a. tripping-cord, or other suitable means for effecting its disengagement from the said centre-bar, substantially in the manner herein shown and set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

OSCAR PADDOCK.

Witnesses:

Guo. L.` WOODRUFF, MELLEN BRAY. 

